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Finding myself time to ponder whilst sitting in a tent last month, I realized I had just finished reading Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four and didn’t have another book lined up to read next via the Kindle app on my phone. On a whim, I chose Don Quixote, and it brought to mind the following quote which I’ve been keeping in various profiles and “about me” pages for a few years:
It is easy to see, that you are not used to this business of adventures. Those are giants, and if you are afraid, away with you out of here and betake yourself to prayer, while I engage them in fierce and unequal combat.
Immediately it brought forth a lovely allegory to the adventure against debt. One who fights tooth and nail to climb their way out of the hole attacks with the same conviction as an old man charging at windmills upon the steed Rocinante, whereas one who cries bankruptcy runs along much too late only to learn of their utter defeat, as Sancho Panza did, left picking up the pieces.
Do I mean to say that those of us working our way to a debt free life are delusional, certainly not. We are filled with courage, knowing that as long as we set our mind to it, have a plan, and follow through, we can do what many others believe is the impossible, all the while knowing full well that we aren’t just tilting at windmills.
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From July 2 to August 3, my net worth increased an average of $17.35 per day, or $555.28 overall, to -$48,671.32. This is a 1.14% increase, and results in a projected zero net worth on 11/13/2014.
While my net worth progress is backsliding (thanks to my vacation costing me quite a bit more than expected), I made progress on the debt payoff speed due to that lump sum payment. I’m still running behind, though, with an expected payoff date of 9/17/14. There is much work to be done.
Not sure if I mentioned this, but my Met-Ed debt was sent to a different collections agency a couple of weeks ago, and they’re being a bit more proactive with it. I’d like to get it taken care of, certainly, but their offers are too high for me to fit in to my budget. It’s not that I can’t make it work, I just don’t want to, because it’d be stretching things pretty thin. Super sigh face.
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It took a solid 17 hours, from noon yesterday to 5am today, but I’m finally HOME! Never have my legs screamed at me like they are now. I could probably run a marathon and they wouldn’t be this sore.
I have no idea how I rode 17 hours straight, but I sure as hell wouldn’t recommend it. That last 100 miles was getting pretty dicey, but I just kept pushing myself between breaks. Totally the wrong thing to do on two wheels, I know. Potentially fatal, for that matter, and I’m sure dear mother will chew me out for it after she reads this, because she’s such a good mom like that.
Speaking of breaks, for those who may be wondering about my tweet with regards to riding down the road with my fly open, well… There was a lot of coffee involved. The good thing about riding is that if you need to pull over to take a leak, you can do it without even leaving your seat. The bad thing about riding is that when you DO pull over to take a leak without leaving your seat, when you need to pinch it off because a car is coming and you’re in an “emergency stopping only” area and who knows if that car is a cop or not, zipping up makes it far too obvious as to what exactly you were doing there. You needed to know that.
The numbers:
Distance – 1038.79 miles
Max speed – 66.1mph
Moving time – 33hrs 13min
Moving avg – 31.3mph
Stopped time – 23hrs 44min
Overall average – 18.2mph
Min elevation – 23ft
Max elevation – 1603ft
Time to pass out in my nice warm comfy bed with Cappuccino who missed me dearly.
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After an exciting (yeah right) week of adventure (bullshit) romping around New England, it’s time to kiss it all goodbye. In about 10 hours, I’ll be rolling out of wherever the hell I am in Connecticut for the 276.5 mile ride home. After my massive jaunt up to Vermont today, I’m sore as absolute hell as it is, so if anyone wants to come give me a ride, that’d be cool.
I’ve clocked 666 miles on the GPS so far between riding and hiking, so I should end up with just under a grand when it’s all said and done.
I just can’t wait to get home and lay down in bed. For many hours. Because I’m really gonna be hurting then.
P.S. The whole thing is a sham. I’ve really been sitting here in front of my computer playing Warcraft all week.
I wish.
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In a rather anti-climactic moment, I handed a check over to Mr Investor and finally cleared that debt from my name. Blogging from my phone, so can’t really update sidebars or numbers or anything, but I’ll keep you guys updated throughout the next few days on here and Twitter of my travels, just as long as I can find outlets to plug my phone in to.
WOO WOO!
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